> >For some reason a lot of southern women married young. I > think it was to get away from a big family with too many > mouths to feed or since women were considered property > of the father, maybe to avoid sexual abuse. Or the sons > moved out and needed a wife to take care of them and > maybe children from a first wife. > I have several lines where the women married very young. > Unfortunately, marrying at 11 is not that uncommon. WOW! I haven t yet seen one that early. About the earliest I've seen is 15. I would think that marryin' off the girls would be to attract more workers to the farm or to keep the boys on the farm. I definitely agree with the children needing taking care of . . but I have doubts that someone would want a child taking care of the children...